The Young Sharpshooter at Antietam Part 19

"Better look out there!" called the guard, when Noel arose. "Some of those bugs 'll bite you, if you don't watch out!"

Whether or not the "bugs would bite," the anger of the bees instantly became manifest. In clouds they poured forth from the hives and the sounds of their buzzing became louder.

Darting in every direction they soon discovered the disturber of their dwelling-places, and, aware of their intentions, Noel hastily ran toward the guard and the rail to which the horses were hitched. To all appearances he had done this simply to avoid the pursuit of the little tormentors. That he was acting on design, the guard did not even suspect. The cloud of bees, however, did not all abandon the pursuit, and as Noel halted near the horses, the furious little insects, without rhyme or reason, began an attack upon the innocent animals.

Pandemonium instantly followed. The horses were rearing, plunging, squealing, and kicking in every direction. The actions seemed to incite the attacking insects to still greater anger. Nor was the guard himself free from the onslaught. With muttered exclamations of anger and pain, he was striving to ward off the little pests from his face or prevent them from stinging him on his hands and wrists.

Noel was doing his utmost to bear up under the suffering he himself was compelled to undergo. One bee had stung him on the very tip of his nose.

Another had attacked him under his right eye, while still another had inserted his sting near a corner of the young soldier's mouth.

Noel could feel his face swelling, but he heroically strove to bear his suffering, and, although he did his utmost to drive away his tormentors, he nevertheless was relying upon the very attack that had been made to a.s.sist him in the plan which he had formed.

In the midst of the confusion one of the horses broke loose, and with many snorts of fear and rage started swiftly toward the lane.

The example was contagious and a moment later two more horses freed themselves by breaking the straps by which they were tied and followed in the direction in which the leader had disappeared.

"Catch them! Catch them! Help me! Catch them!" called the guard excitedly. "Why don't somebody come out of the big house? I can't do everything myself! Help me! Never mind the stings! Don't let those horses get away! Rouse yourself, Yank!"

"I'll do my best," called Noel loudly, as he seized the bridle of one of the remaining horses and apparently strove to quiet the terrified animal.

The horse with which Noel was struggling was the one in the line which he had noted as being undoubtedly the swiftest and best of them all.

"Whoa, there! Keep quiet! Be still, can't you?" he called as he slapped the plunging horse on its neck and then on its flank as if he was protecting it from the angry bees. Meanwhile, however, Noel had untied the horse and was holding the animal by its bridle.

At that moment some of the Confederate soldiers, who had entered the house, appeared at the door. Noel glanced anxiously at the men and then looked at the guard, who was doing his utmost to prevent one of the remaining horses from escaping.

The moment for which he had been waiting had arrived, the young soldier decided, and whatever he did he must do instantly. There was no time to be lost.

Looking once more toward the house, he saw the men call to those who still were inside, and then turn as if they were about to run swiftly to the place where the commotion was occurring. A single glance at the guard showed him that the man's rifle had been laid upon the gra.s.s and that he was still struggling with one of the frantic animals. Pulling upon the bridle of his horse Noel quietly had worked the animal away from its companions. His horse had been squealing and kicking more frantically than any of the others. To all appearances Noel was having a severe struggle to prevent him from breaking away and running in the direction in which the other horses had disappeared.

The shouts of the men, who now were advancing from the house, increased the confusion. Doubtless they were unaware of the source of the trouble and might visit their anger upon him, thought Noel.

The time, however, did not permit of delay. He had now worked his horse nearer the corner of the house. Suddenly the young soldier, placing one foot in the stirrup, leaped lightly into the saddle, and shouting into the ears of his horse, turned around the corner of the house before the startled band were fully aware of what had taken place.

The bees were no longer in pursuit. The terrified animal, however, was still making many frantic leaps, and Noel was compelled to exert the utmost of his strength to retain his seat. His disappearance was followed by a shout from the man, and only a brief time elapsed before, glancing behind him, he saw that two of the men were mounted and now were in swift pursuit.

His hopes now were dependent upon the speed of his horse and the possible inability of his pursuers to shoot.

"Stop, you Yank!" called one of them. "Stop where you are! Stop, or we'll shoot!"

Bending low upon the neck of his horse, Noel gave no heed to the demands and continually urged the beast into greater efforts. With long and powerful leaps the horse was bounding forward. The entrance from the lane into the highway was now only a few yards distant. Out in the road, Noel saw the horses which had already broken their halters and had fled when the bees first had attacked them. He would have been glad to secure either of them, but now his main purpose was to escape, and success depended much upon the endurance of the horse he was riding.

As yet the men behind him had not shot at the escaping young soldier.

Grimly Noel thought they were more fearful of injuring the horse than they were of harming him. However, there was inspiration in the thought that thus far he had succeeded, and almost with a feeling of rejoicing he turned into the road and urged his terrified steed into still more frantic efforts. The pursuit was not abandoned, and he was aware that the mounted Confederates evidently were as determined as was the fleeing young soldier.

The speed of the running horse increased under the continued demands of his rider. It was a powerful animal on which he was mounted, as Noel was now aware, and if his endurance was equal to his strength there was a possibility of escaping from the region.

A glance behind him showed that he was gaining upon his two pursuers, a fact which was as manifest to them as it was to him. Suddenly one of them fired. Noel heard the bullet as it whistled above his head.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NOEL HEARD THE BULLET AS IT WHISTLED PAST]

The pursuit, however, was not abandoned, and, leaning forward, Noel drew himself closer to the neck of his panting steed, and then as he looked hastily behind him he saw that both men were again about to fire.

CHAPTER XVI

A HELPER

The moment was critical in the flight of the young soldier. It seemed to him as if his heart for a moment almost ceased to beat. Resolutely he leaned still farther forward on the neck of the running horse, and shouting into the ear of the animal caused the frightened beast to bound to the opposite side of the road just as both of his pursuers fired.

Grateful as soon as he was aware that neither he nor his horse had been hit, the young soldier gave his undivided attention for a moment to controlling the terrified steed.

Noel's long experience on his father's farm on the banks of the St.

Lawrence River, where he and his brother Frank many a time as little lads had ridden the colts bareback, now came in good stead. The saddle was uncomfortable, but he had no difficulty in retaining his seat.

In a brief time the nervous animal once more was under control and was speeding forward at a pace which the rider was confident would soon leave his pursuers far behind him.

In his flight Noel hastily glanced over his shoulder to discover whether or not the Confederate soldiers had abandoned the chase, or were still determined to overtake him.

He plainly saw that they were not gaining upon him, although they still held doggedly to the pursuit. Just why they should do this, now that several miles had been covered, the young soldier was unable to understand, nor was it until afterward that he came to know the reason why the men, in spite of their failure to gain upon him, were unwilling to turn back.

Noel was unarmed. His rifle had been taken from him when he had first been made prisoner. Although he had a place, as we know, among the sharpshooters of McClellan's army, it had not been until after his return from his furlough that he had found himself fully able to do the required work.

Now with all his heart he longed for a rifle. If it were only in his hands he was convinced that the two men who were so doggedly hanging to the pursuit would abandon their efforts.

The mud in places in the road was thrown up in lumps by the hoofs of his horse as he thundered on his way. As yet the animal was not displaying any marked signs of distress, and in the hope of wearing out his pursuers, Noel still kept him at his full speed.

The splotches of mud and the heat of the warm September day soon made the appearance of the young rider as distressing as that of the animal upon which he was mounted. The great black flanks of the latter were now reeking with sweat and discolored by the red-brown mud of the road. As far as Noel himself was concerned, his most intimate friend might have had difficulty in recognizing, in the perspiring, dirt-covered young soldier the Noel Curtis whom they had known. Streams of perspiration had poured down his face and left furrows in the coating of Maryland mud and dirt. The exertion was telling upon the rider as well as upon the horse, and he was well aware that such violent efforts could not long be continued.

Glancing once more anxiously behind him, Noel was unable to see his pursuers. He was aware, however, that it was only the bend in the road that hid them from his sight and that not yet was he freed from his peril.

Slackening the pace at which he was riding, the young soldier removed his coat and folding it placed it in front of him on the pommel. The relief was instant and again speaking encouragingly to his horse, which now was breathing loudly, he continued his flight.

It became manifest in a brief time that the pursuit was still maintained, although the distance between the young soldier and the two Confederates comparatively was unchanged. Why they should continue to follow him became increasingly a perplexing problem. There were no prospects of his being overtaken, and now that five or six miles must have been covered in his flight Noel was unable to understand why the men did not turn back and join their comrades. He himself was not of sufficient value to warrant their severe labors. Of that fact he was well a.s.sured. Why, then, did they still follow him?

The mystery was unsolved, but there was no delay on the part of the young soldier to meditate long upon possible explanations. The fact remained that he was in a country with which he was unfamiliar, mounted upon the back of a horse with whose ways he was unacquainted, although he was aware of his many excellent points, and was being pursued relentlessly by two men who doggedly held to their task.

Suddenly Noel, as he emerged from a small body of woods, beheld a group of men directly in the road before him and not distant more than fifty yards. Glancing keenly at the bank he saw that the men were repairing a bridge over a little stream. A second look convinced him that the men were all clad in the uniform of the Confederate soldiers.

For a brief moment Noel's courage seemed to depart. He could not turn back without running directly into his enemies, while if he advanced it was equally plain that there were many more still to be pa.s.sed.

Unaware of the perplexing thoughts of his rider, his horse did not relax his speed and with long and steady lopes was still advancing. Whatever the young soldier was to do must be done quickly.

Almost before he was aware of what occurred Noel found himself close upon the band. His coat, as has been said, was discolored and his trousers were so covered with mud that their original color, in a measure, at least, was concealed.

Suddenly the young soldier decided to try to make his way through the band. He recalled an incident which he had read in the life of Mad Anthony Wayne, who, with his men, in the swamp near Yorktown, found himself face to face with a division of red coats that far outnumbered his followers. The consternation produced by the discovery was banished as Mad Anthony resolutely called to his men and dashed forward. The daring man was relying upon the fact of his bold advance to convince the enemy that there must be more men behind him. No man in his senses would ever think of attacking such a superior force. After the British lines had broken and fled, Mad Anthony turned and said to one of his comrades, "The best way to overcome any difficulty is to drive straight through it." This incident came back to Noel's mind as the trees and fields seemed to be racing past him.